Meg′ale. A Greek name of Juno, meaning great.
Melicer′ta, see Palæmon.
Mello′na. One of the rural divinities, the goddess of bees.
Melpom′ene. One of the Muses, the goddess of tragedy.
Memory, see Mnemosyne.
Men′des. An Egyptian god like Pan. He was worshipped in the form of a goat.
Menela′us. A Spartan king. The elopement of his wife Helen with Paris was the origin of the siege of Troy. See Helena.
Me′nu. The Hindoo god of law. See Satyavrata.
Merchants, see Mercury.
Mer′cury, the son of Jupiter and Maia, was the messenger of the gods, and the conductor of the souls of the dead to Hades. He was the supposed inventor of weights and measures, and presided over orators and merchants. Mercury was accounted a most cunning thief, for he stole the bow and quiver of Apollo, the girdle of Venus, the trident of Neptune, the tools of Vulcan, and the sword of Mars, and he was therefore called the god of thieves. He is the supposed inventor of the lyre, which he exchanged with Apollo for the Caduceus. There was also an Egyptian Mercury, under the name of Thot, who is credited with having taught the Egyptians geometry and hieroglyphics.